Cursed Mask
by gemsofformenos
Summary: No one should wear this mask. Azula has realized it too late. This thing is alive. It's evil and now it tries to control her. Alternate/Crossover Universe One Shot written to celebrate Halloween 2019.
1. Cursed Mask

**For PurplePlatypusBear21**

**Hello everybody and happy Halloween! This idea has hit me a few days ago and I decided to turn this Crossover One-Shot into a little horror-touched one to celebrate Halloween. It's a bit more graphic than my usual stories, but I wanted to create a fitting atmosphere. I hope this little one creates some Halloween vibes. All of you a lot of fun and Happy Halloween!**

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**Cursed Mask**

Azula realized her mistake as soon as the strange wooden mask touched the skin of her face. It was a creepy horror, which was running down her spine. The touch of the wood was cold and somehow dark… sinister. No simple piece of wood should feel this way, like this mask did.

It was such an opposite to the bright and colorful look of this mask. And jet it wasn't. These disturbing yellow eyes, these spikes the mix of colors at all. It looked childlike and happy, but only on first sight. The whole thing was radiating something wicked, something… evil. Raw power, but only made for destruction. It was hidden behind this mask, no in this mask and Azula could feel it now. But now it was too late. Zuko has been on her heels, so she got careless for a moment. She had ignored this whispered warning in her head, as she had found this mask. She has only seen the power and has ignored the signs...

She was standing in this vast temple ruin near the overgrown pedestal like she was made out of the same stone as everything around her, trying to process the crawling horror, which was suddenly flooding her mind.

It wasn't worth the promised power.

She shouldn't wear this mask.

No one should.

Azula reacted fast and tried to take off the mask, but pure terror took over as her fingers touched the edge of this dreadful object. The mask itself came to life. Tendrils emerged from the mask, grabbing like strong tentacles at her face, forcing the object back at it. The Princess tried to rip it off, but the mask tighten its grip. She could feel the tendrils slithering around her head and neck, choking her, pressing with an unnatural burning cold in her skin. The feeling gnawed at the edges of her mind, with whispering, mocking laughters. She could feel the tentacles sliding in her ears, pressing into her skull. The pain became unbearable, prickling and stinging and she could feel her own blood running out of her ears, but she fought on. The sounds of the world around her were shifting, they got amplified, twisted and pitched. She could hear the laughters louder now, mocking her blind desire for power.

This thing must get off from her at all cost. She lighted a flame, ready to burn the mask, no matter if this object still was pressed on her own face and for a moment she found some hope, because the resistance of the mask got weaker and the object came off some inches.

But then more tendrils emerged, pressing in her nose, spreading like roost inside of her, taking her any air to breath.

And so Azula screamed in pure terror, pain and desperation, falling on the ground, jerking and spasming franticly, only to realize, that the scream was another mistake, as more tentacles conquered her mouth, choking her violently, forcing a way down her throat. She felt her strength fading as finer vines emerged to penetrate her eyes. Sharp cold stings, burning like ice and fire punctuated her eyeballs. Azula felt the crawling inside, the tightening grip at her body and mind. She recognized that her view didn't vanished, it only started to change. It was like she got driven out of her own head, forced to the sideline to watch the horror taking over.

A white pain flushed her mind and a tortured, defeated shriek filled the wide halls of the ruin as suddenly a figure stood above her, ripping at this dreadful mask. She felt how the tendrils got pulled out of her, cutting throat and skin as the object tried to maintain a grip on her. Azula forced her mind to fight against the will to surrender. Her own vision returned and she noticed the bloody vines leaving her body with wet slurps. She gaged and coughed violently as her mouth and nose came free at last, rolling to her side. The taste of iron and copper mixed itself with the sour taste of vomit as she emptied her stomach, shaken by uncontrolled cramps. Blood was running out of her eyes, ears, nose and mouth and the mask had left grim cuts on her neck and cheeks, but Azula didn't care. All what mattered now was, that this cursed mask was off her face.

She was on all fours, still coughing, but she turned her head to look at her savior, as a cold shock stabbed her heart. Zuko was standing some steps aside. He had turned the back to her, but he still had a grip at the mask. The object was definitely alive, the bloody tendrils lashing and swirling in the air. But the way how Zuko's body had stiffened was the source of Azula's worries.

"Zuko, burn it."

Her voice was rasp and hoarse and every breath, every syllable was like she forced razor blades through her lungs and throat. Azula noticed the slight jerk of Zuko's hand and he lighted a flame, but he didn't make a move to burn this cursed object. It let Azula's terror grew and she forced herself to crawl towards her brother. She had never truly begged him to do something, but she knew, that her pride had to stand aside here.

"Zuzu, please. Burn this thing. Burn it now."

Her brother brought his flame towards the lashing mask, observing the object and his flame… and suddenly he pressed the wooden object at his face.

Azula wasn't sure, which was causing her more pain, the tortured scream, which left her sore throat or the fact, that this mask has taken her brother. She only could watch him jerk and move helplessly, like some weird puppet master was pulling at strings of a new puppet, to get a feeling of how everything worked.

The Princess knew better, but she kept crawling towards her brother. She knew it was too late as the jerking stopped, but she had to try it anyway. The flame in Zuko's hand was still burning, so maybe…

"Interesting..."

She had almost reached her brothers ankle as she stopped in motion. The voice she heard was only a faint reminiscent of her brother. A hidden hint was to be found in it, but Azula noticed that something evil, something merciless was speaking now. The same voice, that had laughed in her ears moments ago. She saw the flame growing and dancing on Zuko's palm and her brother observed his fire with curiosity.

"Yes, I already have hundreds of games in mind, we can play with that power."

Azula's blood ran cold as Zuko turned his head towards her. The eyes of the mask seem to glow. It was horrifying.

"We'll never be alone anymore. It'll be so much fun."

Zuko threw his flame at Azula and she barely managed to block the strike. She screamed in pain as the flames broke her defense, biting and leaking at her arms. She could feel her skin blister and crack in the heat of the flame, could hear the awful swizzling as a biting smell of burned fabric, skin and flesh started to bite in her nose. Hot tears, mixed with her own blood streamed down her cheeks as she rolled on her side, pressing the burned arm at her chest. She could hear the wicked amused laughter behind her.

"Zuzu, fight. This isn't you!"

The laughter turned into an hysterical one. Her brother laid back in the air and was suddenly hovering, like an Airbender, slapping with his hand on his upper leg in amusement.

"Oh Azula, Azula. You would be surprised. It's not him alone anymore. I offer chances. Power. Company. Fun..."

The mask was staring at her and it wasn't possible, but the Princess could almost see a wicked smile behind it. A smile forced upon Zuko's face from this mask. From whatever lived inside this object. An amused chuckle remained.

"Jealous? Now he's mine. My dear Zuzu. Cut off from your puppet strings..."

This quote hit her harder than anything before, it pushed the pain aside with burning anger.

"And tight on yours. Zuzu fight. It's only telling lies!"

The laughter was more terrifying than anything Azula had heard before. It wasn't human and seem to grow deeper and higher at the same time, filling the ruin with a demonic presence.

"Wrong! Azula always lies. I offer revenge!"

She wanted to answer, but her voice died in her throat as Zuko, driven by the mask, grabbed her at her throat. She kicked and jerked, but it was like hitting cold iron. She was gagging again, desperately trying to get some air passing the way down to her lungs, but it seemed to be impossible. Her brother lifted her up with an unnatural strength, like she was weighting nothing and she noticed, that he was pushing her towards a wall, while he was raising her and himself higher and higher towards the ceiling of the ruin.

"Dear Zuzu has enough of these lies, of the dirty schemes and ticks, of the loathing, of being called weak, stupid and worthless. He is tired of being alone."

He let his head falling aside, the yellow eyes of the mask glowed even more dangerous.

"I know how he feels. I understand him. I'll help him to get revenge. Today payback time starts for all of them. We'll have so much fun and none of us must ever be alone again."

The color was draining from Azula's sight. She felt her blood rushing through her veins, her pulse hammering in her ears. Her jerks and kicks became more and more frantic, but they already started to lack strength and the faint rest of precision they had at the start. The eyes of the mask seem to grow. She saw Zuko opening his topknot. The parts of his crown piece floated towards Azula and he closed her hand around it with his other.

"I want to play a game Azula. Zuzu remembers a great stunt of yours. You fell off an airship and you have saved yourself with your crown piece."

Zuzu looked down and even with her sight getting smaller Azula noticed how high they were in this temple ruin. She wouldn't survive a fall if he would let go now.

"I really hope you can pull this stunt again. This would be… Fun."

A wicked chuckle was all she heard as Zuko let go. Everything happened like in slow motion. Azula felt herself falling. She felt the air coming back to her lungs and her sight returned to full, like the pain and the coughing. Her instincts tried to react, but the lack of air and her injuries denied her the needed strength. She noticed, that she had no power, no precision and no time, still she tried to ram the crown piece into the wall, but it only scrapped along the cold stones, before it jammed in the wall and got ripped out of her grip.

She closed her eyes in defeat, hearing this awful chuckle.

And suddenly she was pushed to the side, caught by another person, who was wrapping his arms around her. Azula was safe on the floor, coughing and gasping for air and barely recognizing the commotion, which was starting to leave the ruins. She felt firm hands pressing her to the ground and suddenly a soothing tickle crawled up and down her body. She tried to fight it, but only got pushed back to the ground.

"Don't move, instead you prefer scars."

She obeyed at the commanding voice, too shocked and too weak to keep up the resistance. She faintly recognized the water witch starting to treat her wounds as she passed out on the ground.


	2. Licking Wounds

**Hello everybody. This hasn't been planned by me this time but I was in the mood to write something for Halloween this year and somehow I decided to add a chapter to my last year's Halloween story. I wish all of you Happy Halloween and a lot of fun with this new chapter.**

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**Licking Wounds**

_The horrified shriek was tearing at Azula's sanity. The Princess tried to flee or at least to close her eyes but icy tendril kept her in place and forced her eyes open. They were slithering around her legs and arms forcing her down on her knees. Big ones slung around her neck and skull to force her head to look up at the moon and to watch the horror which was displayed at the big silver disk up in the night sky. Azula tried to cover her eyes and ears but her arms and hands got ripped back by an merciless force. She could feel the bites and burning sensation as fine vines pinned her eyelids at her skull to force her watching the desperate struggle in front of her. A young woman was fighting dark tendrils which were lashing at her… and she was losing. _

_Azula felt the horror creeping along her spine as the tendrils lashing at the porcelain skin of the white-haired woman leaving deep cuts on her. It was able to push aside the burning of her own eyes which were getting dryer. The pain and panic in the screams of the woman pierced Azula's heart as she saw the image on the pale moon bleeding liquid silver at every hit she has to take. Still the woman kept fighting but it was futile as more vines grabbed her silver hair to force her down on her knees like Azula. Her cries became desperate and horrified as the Mask approached. Tendrils tightened their iron grip around the woman's face and neck and for the last time Azula saw the terrified and begging eyes of this delicate woman… and with an scream which seems to shake earth itself the Mask was forced on the face of the woman and image disappeared._

_For a moment the pale moon and the strong biting at her eyes was all which remained but suddenly the sky got darker and the moon changed. The burning in Azula's eyes got worse as the dryness started to tarnish her sight. She could feel her cornea crack and burst while her sight turned foggy but the last thing Azula could see was an evil wicked face taking shape on the full moon. And the smile upon this face's lips was filled with hate._

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The Princess was up with a feral scream on her lips. She felt a touch at her shoulder and was about to throw fire at the source of it but a soothing sound let her stop at the last moment. She looked at the sad blue eyes of a person in front of her while she was holding her arms up in defense. Azula's breath was fast and panicked but step by step her mind got back to reality and she realized who was standing in front of her with his arms now up in defense. Sokka looked sad and worried at her but he dared to lay his hands back on her shoulders to rub them soothingly as soon as Azula took down her hands. The unfamiliar touch was confusing her deeply. Due to the worried look of the man she must be a real pathetic display but the nightmare was still hunting her mind and so she accepted this touch for some moments to use it as an anchor to lead her thoughts back to the here and now.

They were still within the ruins of the temple where she has found this dreadful mask. It was an quick improvised camp within a little room of the building which might have been a storage room for relicts for ceremonies eons ago. Broken shelves were all around the walls and a little stone table or altar was in the middle of the room. She could hear some thunder in the distance but the heavy sound of falling rain was more prominent and the air was humid. A blue glow at her left made Azula turn around and she could prevent her eyes from jumping wide in shock as she noticed Katara treating an unconscious Ty Lee. The smoldered rests of her Kyoshi uniform was laying beside and her make-up was smeared and parts of it were rubbed off. Suki was busy at cleaning some wounds at Toph's arm. The captain was bandaged as well at her arms and legs but the biggest one was around her head covering her right side of her face. The eyes of the Princess wandered back to Katara and Ty Lee and the heavy quiet within the room and the hasty movements of the Waterbender alarmed Azula. She was about to stand up but Sokka pushed her back softly and shook his head.

"No. Katara needs to focus. Zuko… He has hit her at her chest in full as she has shielded Suki from a blow."

Azula's eyes jumped back to Suki who has stopped treating Toph's wound and has made a trembling fist. The Firebender took a closer look at the Water Tribe warrior and noticed the dressings around his legs and arms. The face of the Princess got harder. She pushed back Sokka's hand and got up to get over to Katara and Ty Lee. All eyes beside Katara's were piecing her instantly and she noticed the rising tension. Azula bit her bottom lip and ignored the uncomfortable tickle in her tummy and shambled over to Ty Lee. She recognized Toph changing her stance slowly and Suki's hands moving towards her fans but this didn't stop her.

Panic got a grip on Azula's heart as she noticed the grave injury of her former friend. Zuko's blow has burned its way straight through the armor and fabric and Karata was still busy cleaning and healing the wound which was spread out over Ty Lee's chest and belly. The breaths of the Kyoshi Warrior were barely recognizable. Katara's piercing eyes found Azula's for a brief moment and her look was hard as stone but softened after a wink and she nodded with her head beside her. Azula frowned at this sudden change in confusion until she noticed her own wet cheeks where her tears were running down. Azula cursed herself for a brief moment and wiped her eyes dry while taking seat beside Ty Lee. She picked up the hand of her former friend and stroke over the cold skin of the back of her hand. The eyes of the Princess were resting on the face of Ty Lee.

Azula had no clue how long she has stared at her as she finally spoke up. Her voice was still rasp and speaking was hurting her sore throat but it was necessary.

"Where's the Avatar?"

Azula ignored the deadly glare from Katara but she could feel the cold hate in it and the icy silence all around her. It was Sokka, who finally decided to answer after a little sigh.

"Aang is still in the main hall and tries to figure out what Zuko might do next."

Azula shook her head as she faced the look of the warrior. Sokka's face hardened at her reaction but she skipped his reaction.

"It's not really about what Zuko will do. It's about what It will do. The mask."

A shudder ran down Azula's spine and Sokka's face softened a bit. Azula bit her tongue and shook her head in bitterness as her eyes wandered back to Ty Lee.

"But yes it is also about what Zuko will do as well. This mask… it plays with your wishes and desires, it…"

Her voice broke as the dark whispers in her mind seemed to return for a second.

"You seem to know a lot about this mask."

Suki's voice was as sharp as her fans and Azula swallowed the urge to bite back instantly. They had no idea. The mask hasn't tried to claim them like it has done with her. They couldn't know. Azula forced her eyes on Ty Lee's face.

"It promises you endless power but it claims you and your mind. You become a puppet and it let you do things… You aren't in control anymore and it digs out your darkest wishes and.."

Azula noticed that she was touching the fainting marks at her neck where the tendrils have cut open her skin.

"And you knew all of it and still you have tried to take this mask. And now Zuko is under its spell."

Katara's voice was cold as ice. She was still highly focused at healing but Azula could see the deadly fire in her blue eyes. The Firebender bit her lip and stayed silent. She noticed the angry huff from Suki behind. Azula prepared for a yelling and maybe a new fight but nothing happened. The silence was already hitting her harder than any strike could do in this moment. Finally Sokka broke the silence with a tired voice.

"It doesn't matter anymore. What does matters is how we can stop Zuko and how we can get this thing off from him."

Azula closed her eyes for a moment to keep herself composed. This thing has claimed Zuko and it was her fault. Father has always warned her about impulsive reactions. Now she was paying the price.

"Why has he put on this mask anyway? Or have you forced it on his face?"

Suki's voice was barely hiding her anger and loathing anymore and she came over to Azula forcing her to face her hateful look. The dressing around her right side of her face was starting to get wet from lymph of the fresh burning. Azula withstood her burning eyes but remained silence.

"He has saved her from being claimed by the mask."

Everyone beside Katara turned to Toph in surprise. The Earthbender was leaning against the wall and only lifted one of her feet to wiggle her toes as a hint.

"Still it's her fault that all of this has happened."

Suki glared back at Azula who kept focused on Ty Lee's weak breaths again.

Toph huffed a bit and crossed her arms before her chest only to hiss in pain a bit as she got in contact with her fresh bandaged arm.

"Maybe, but I'm sure it wasn't her intention. Sparky has searched for a weapon. I'm sure she wouldn't have searched for this thing if she'd have been aware of the price to pay."

Katara finally stopped treating Ty Lee and grabbed for some dressings to cover the wound but her piercing blue eyes were focused on Azula.

"Still it didn't change the facts now. The mask has claimed Zuko and the Fire Lord is now on the run with this dark power and the drive to bring death and destruction to anyone within his way."

The Waterbender lifted Ty Lee's body carefully to start covering the wound and offered Azula the dressings after the first round with an observant look. There was still a cold distance within but also curiosity.

"Zuko has searched for you cause he believes in you. Even now. You cannot change what has happen but you can choose to help fixing it."

Suki huffed in anger glaring at the Waterbender.

"Katara! You cannot trust her! Without her nothing of this wouldn't have happened. Without her Ty Lee…"

Her voice died in her throat in bitterness. Katara hasn't broken her piercing look at Azula.

"But she knows more about the mask than any of us. And she knows her brother as well."

Both bender kept staring at each other searching for a hint what to expect from the other and finally Azula took the dressing and continued to wrap it around Ty Lee's torso carefully under Katara's supervision. The Firebender fixed the fabric and looked up at Katara who gave her work a final check. She gifted the Princess a short nod and placed Ty Lee back on the sleeping bag to cover her with a blanket until she moved over to the captain to treat her face but Suki left the room without a word. Katara sighed and moved over to Toph to take a look at her arm leaving Azula at Ty Lee's side. The princess took a look around. Sokka nodded at her like Katara has done before until he followed the captain out of the room. Toph's blind eyes couldn't focus on her of course but the Earthbender has turned her face at her direction while Katara started to heal the burning. Toph nodded as well but it was a slight smirk around the blind woman's lips.


End file.
